[bulrush]

I'm looking for an alcohol heater that would run 8 hours. It appears HeatMate 5200 and the Dometic Origo 5100 are no longer made. Anyone have any ideas for an 8 hour run time? Walmart has an Origo 5100 but that appears to be the last of the stock. A DDG search revealed multiple sites are out of stock for these at Amazon, and Ebay.

I'm guessing alcohol STOVES, made for boats, don't have an 8 hour run time. Hence my question.

I'm thinking of putting alcohol in an all metal cooking pot, but I need a sort of metal top, or baffle, over it about 8" above the flame. That's the part I'm thinking about next.

When the power goes out, people rush for the propane and there may be no propane in local stores for a week. That's one reason I'm thinking of using alcohol. Most people don't know about it or use it.

 

[Bobcat In The Woods]

I would try and track down a kerosene lantern. A little experimentation with wick length should be all it takes to dial it in for alcohol. Doesn’t have an 8 hour single use time, but is refillable. Wicking can be made from any flammable cloth (I’m partial to old white tshirts), and you get the benefit of being able to see.

You can also stack some bricks around it to absorb/preserve heat.

If you’re wanting a little more diy, you could make a hobo stove. 2 one gallon metal cans, some cardboard and some bricks make a very nice heater. Cut the sides of both cans down about 2-3 inches, poke several small holes near the bottom of one, and a few more holes in the other. Pack the first with cardboard, soak the cardboard with alcohol. Light it off and then put the other can over top. It’s remarkably effective, once you get it tuned right.

 

[cujet]

It's good to know that alcohol has about half the energy of Kerosene per gallon (another way to view that is half the energy by volume or per tank) AND that all alcohols have some moisture or water in the mix. It's darn near impossible to purchase Ethanol that contains no water what so ever. My point is that the water content further reduces the effectiveness of Alcohol.

Methanol has 56,800 BTU per gallon
Ethanol has 76,100 BTU per gallon
Kerosene has 132,000 BTU per gallon and contains no water.

 

[ajole]

When the power goes out, people rush for the propane and there may be no propane in local stores for a week. That's one reason I'm thinking of using alcohol. Most people don't know about it or use it.

If you are waiting until the power goes out to go shopping for fuel...you're not prepping right.

Propane doesn't get old. Should have already bought a pile of cans/bottles/whatever, and the stove or heater or lantern to go with it.

There is NO situation I can think of where I'd be setting up to use alcohol due to a feared future lack of propane at the store.

I MIGHT set up a few things as an alternative. But it would never be the number one go-to source of heat.

BTW...they use alcohol to sterilize things. You may not have noticed, but it was one of the things that was often NOT on the shelves over the last year.

 

[Justme11]

Look into a coleman dual fuel stove. I have one and it is nice.

I also have an Origo alcohol stove I had on the boat. Really hate it, and the darn thing was not cheap. The stuff stinks, the flame is not spread out nice like a burner should be, even with the build in flame spreader. There is also a pressurized alcohol stove that is actually decent when it is not flaring up and burning the boat to the waterline.

You can make a methanol stove from an old CocaCola can.

If you really need a lot of heat for a long time, the Korean Alapaca kerosene stove.

 

[tew45]

I own two cast iron two burner hot plates that I use on propane and two turkey cookers set up also on propane so with a vented area I can cook as well as stay somewhat warm. I also have several small propane tanks I keep full. My wife has 4 old kerosene lamps that will supply light. With enough food stashed we can survive at least 90 days in weather related problems.

 

[DKR]

If you are looking just to heat a space with alcohol, good luck. The Mod 5100 was the last commercial alcohol based heater. Popular in both the marine and vanlife areas, they just don't pack the heat.

A 'direct vent' should do the trick with no problems with moisture and deadly CO gas.

A Dickinson Newport Propane Direct Vent Heater is used in both marine and van installs.

they can be hard to find owingf to the popularity.

My Eurovan has a 12KBTU unit, but requires 12VDC to run the fan.

I'm assuming that unpowered is what you are looking to use?

 

[Tracy1966]

I'm looking for an alcohol heater that would run 8 hours.

Maybe make up a few of these paint can, toilet paper emergency stove/heaters? Not so sure about the run time though.

 

[hatchet jack]

Many years ago my dad made one of the TP rolls in a can alcohol stoves to use in a deer stand. According to him it worked pretty good but even an un-insulated deer stand isn't that hard to heat.

For this last cold storm we lost power for most of a day. I have a little heater that runs on propane and a coleman camp stove that I just the week before bought a hose and adapter to hook it to a propane bottle and we used those in the house for heat. I have a 1900sf house with 10ft ceilings in the LR and the little heater and stove kept it around 65-67*.

I keep 3 of the 5 gallon propane bottles on hand always filled. Now I plan on buying a forth bottle just to add to the supply.

 

[arleigh]

Try buying alcohol

 

[hatchet jack]

In the one my dad made he used Denatured Alcohol. I would guess that is still available at the Home Improvement stores. I wouldn't even try rubbing alcohol. Too friggin' expensive. And you need to get the cardboard roll out of the center and pack the roll tightly in a metal coffee can. Then you can use the plastic lid on the can when not in use so it doesn't evaporate.

 

[Brettny]

Propane stores for a long time. Why they and re invent the wheel here? A buddy heater, 2 burner camp stove and a 20lb tank adapter and you will be in business for a long time.

Last I counted I had about 21 or 22 20lb propane tanks. Alot I got for free, some I paid $5 for. Il exchange them if there old and refill them if there not. I picked up alot along the road. People dont know what to do with them and leave them out by the curb.

 

[cujet]

Look into a coleman dual fuel exponent stove. I have one and it is nice.

Those little Coleman stoves will run just fine on gasoline. also, Walmart sells off-brand Coleman fuel that works just fine and is half the price.

A Kerosene powered Aladin lamp will make between 2000 and 3500 BTU's worth of heat depending on brightness. Running 3 of them can easily produce upwards of 10,000 BTU's and provide about 150 watts worth of light.

 

[Justme11]

They have these little diesel heaters.
I think they just burn diesel, have a Air heat exchanger and blow the exhaust out a window. Needs 12 V.
Or maybe the whole unit goes outside and just the hot air pipe enters the living space.

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[Stwood]

We had the small diesel heaters in our trucks. Mounted in the tool compartment under the bunk. Kept the bunk area warm without having to idle the truck all night. Those little buggers were a 1000 bucks. About the size of a lunch pail. Took about a year for payoff.